Photography

1. Maani assiliisinnaavunga?

   Maa-ni as-si-lii-sin-naa-vun-ga?

   May I take a photo here?

   Usage

   Asking permission to take photos in museums or nature reserves

   Grammar Note

   assiliivoq is "takes a photograph"; with an explicit object it is assilivaa "photographs it". A camera is assiliissut.

2. Assilisinnaavakkit?

   As-si-li-sin-naa-vak-kit?

   May I take your photo?

   Usage

   Asking someone's permission before photographing them

   Grammar Note

   assilivakkit is assilivaa with a 1sg subject acting on a 2sg object; inserting the potential -sinnaa- turns it into a request for permission.

3. Assilisinnaavatigut?

   As-si-li-sin-naa-va-ti-gut?

   Could you take a photo of us?

   Usage

   Asking a bystander to take a group photo

   Grammar Note

   -vatigut is the ending for a 2nd-person subject acting on a 1st-person-plural object ("you ... us").

4. Maani assiliineq inerteqqutaava?

   Maa-ni as-si-lii-neq i-ner-teq-qu-taa-va?

   Is photography prohibited here?

   Usage

   Checking if photography is restricted in a particular area

   Grammar Note

   "X is forbidden" is the verbal noun plus inerteqqutaavoq, exactly as in iserneq inerteqqutaavoq ("no entry") and nalunnguarneq inerteqqutaavoq ("no bathing").

5. Sermersuaq tamakkerlugu assilisinnaavat.

   Ser-mer-su-aq ta-mak-ker-lu-gu as-si-li-sin-naa-vat.

   You can photograph the entire ice sheet

   Usage

   Describing the opportunity to photograph Greenland's glacier scenery

   Grammar Note

   Sermersuaq is the proper name of the Greenland Ice Sheet. tamakkerlugu means "in full, in its entirety".

6. Assiliiffissamik ujaasivunga.

   As-si-liif-fis-sa-mik u-jaa-si-vun-ga.

   I am looking for a good photo spot

   Usage

   Used by a traveler looking for good photography locations

   Grammar Note

   assiliivoq + -fik (place) + -ssaq (prospective) gives "a place for taking photos". ujaasivoq is "searches, looks for".

7. Assi manna kusanarpoq.

   As-si man-na ku-sa-nar-poq.

   This photo turned out beautifully

   Usage

   Complimenting the result of a photograph after reviewing it

   Grammar Note

   assi is "picture, photograph". kusanarpoq is used of the beauty of things and animals; for people one uses pinnerpoq.

8. Assit toqqorsimavigit?

   As-sit toq-qor-si-ma-vi-git?

   Have you saved the photos already?

   Usage

   Checking if photos have been saved to a device

   Grammar Note

   toqqorpaa is "stores, saves", also used of saving data. -sima- marks the perfect and -vigit is the interrogative for a 2nd-person subject with a 3rd-person-plural object.

9. Arsarnernik assiliinermi assiliissut immikkut inissinneqartariaqarpoq.

   Ar-sar-ner-nik as-si-lii-ner-mi as-si-liis-sut im-mik-kut i-nis-sin-ne-qar-ta-ri-a-qar-poq.

   Photographing the aurora requires special camera settings

   Usage

   Advising on camera settings for aurora photography

   Grammar Note

   The northern lights are arsarnerit (always plural); assiliissut is "camera". inissinneqarneq is "the way something is positioned", i.e. a setting, and -tariaqar- means "must".

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